Electric attachment.



No. 7oa,|55 Patented sept. 2,1902.

J. C. MELOUN. ELECTRIC ATTACHMENT.

(Application filed Mar. 1, 1898A (I0 Model-.L

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UNITED STATES PATENT @Ei-TCE.

JONATHAN O. MELOON, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE GENERAL FIRE EXTINGUISHER vPORATION OF NETV YORK.

COMPANY, OF NE7 YORK, N.

Y., A COR- ELECTRIC ATTACHMENT,

SPECIFICATION formirng` part of Letters Patent No. 708,155, dated September 2, 1902. Application filed March l. 1898. Serial No. 672,152. (No model.)

T all whom t may conceive:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN C. MELooN, of the city and county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Attachments; and I do hereby declare the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same, to be a full, clear, and exact dexo scription thereof.

The invention relates to an attachment more especially designed for use in connection with the dry-pipe valves or alarm-valves for automatic ire-extinguisher systems, although x5 it may be employed in other relations where it is desired to close an electric circuit bythe action of a fluid-pressure upon a movable member or diaphragm.

The object of the invention is to provide a zo simple and efficient device for closing an electric circuit by the action of a fluid-pressure, which will be positive in action, not likely to get out of order or become defective in action, and which may be readily inspected and repaired. To this end the invention consists in the combinations and features set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, Fgurel is a sectional elevation on line l l, Fig. 2; and Eig. 2is an end 3o elevation, the shield being shown in section.

The devices for closing the electrical circuit are mounted upon a plate l, which is slightly dished at 2 upon its under surface. A flexible diaphragm 4. is clamped between the under face of the plate l and a second plate 5, which is dished upon its upper surface to form a pressure-chamber 6 below the diaphragm. An inlet to the chamber 6 is formed by an. opening' 7 through the plate 5,

4o and this inlet may be connected by a pipe S with a valve or other .devices in connection with which the attachment is to be used. A plunger or block 9 rests upon or is secured to the upper face of the diaphragm 4. and extends up through the plate l. The block is provided with a iiange l0, which plays in a recess in the under face of the plate l and retains the plunger in place. This block is formed of insulating material and carries a bearing-piece l2 at its Lipper end, which en- 5o gages a contact-blade 13, pivoted at one end to a binding-post ll. The free end of the contact-blade is arranged to pass between two spring-plates l5 upon a second binding-post I6. The binding-posts ll and IG are supported from a block 17, of insulating material, by means of studs 18 on the ends of said posts, which extend through said block and are engaged by nuts 19, located in recesses in said block. The block 17 is secured by screws 2O 6o to an overhangingarm 2l, extending laterally from a standard 22, rising from the plate l. Electric conductors in the form of wires 23 and 24 have their ends passed through the binding-posts ll and 1G, respectively, and se- 65 cured thereto, preferably, by soldering said wires in the posts. The wires are covered with insulating material and pass from the binding-posts between two blocks 25 26 of insulating material, the wires being coiled, as 7o at 27, to provide slack wire between the blocks 25 and 26 and the binding-posts. The blocks 25 and 26 are drawn together to clamp the wires between them by means of screws 28, which pass through the blocks and into 7 1. holes tapped in the plate l. A spring 29 is interposed between the block 2l and the contact-blade 13 and serves to hold the bar in engagement with the bearing-piece l2. A shield 30 may be provided for covering the 8o operative parts of the device and protecting them from dirt or accidental displacement, and this shield may be held in place bya screw 3l.

In operation the conductors 23 and 2l are 85 connected with the poles of an electric generator, and the device, the operation of which is to be controlled by fluid-pressure, is included in the circuit. The diaphragm d normally stands in the dotted-line position, and 9o the contactblade is out of engagement with the plates l5, the circuit, iherefore, being open at this point. When a iiuid under pressure is admitted to the chamber G-as bythe opening of a valve, for instance`the fluid acts to raise the diaphragm into the full-line position, thus lifting the contact-blade and closing An electric current now passes the circuit.

through the device to be operated-such as an electric alarm, for instance-and operates said device.

By supporting the binding-posts, as above described, from a block of insulating material the posts are perfectly insulated and there is no danger that the wires leading thereto will come into contact with the metallic parts and short-circuit the currentand prematurely ring the alarm. More0Ver,With this construction ready access may be had to the various parts, and they may be readily removed for repairs. By passing the conductors through clamping-blocks before they are connected with the binding-posts there is no danger that the contact between the conductors and the posts will be impaired by any accidental strain put upon the conductors outside the clamping-blocks.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a pressure-chainber, of a diaphragm therein, a plunger operated thereby, a block of insulating material, g phragm 2 and binding-posts depending therefrom and supported thereby, an overhanging arm to which said block is secured, a contact-blade pivoted to one of said posts and engaged by said plunger, and plates secured to the other post between which said blade passes.

2. The combination with two dished plates, a diaphragm clamped between said plates, an inlet through one plate, a plunger extending through the second plate and engaging the diaphragm, a standard projecting from the second plate, an arm extending laterally from said standard, a block of insulating material secured to the under face of said arm, binding-posts depending from said'block, and a contact-blade engaged by said plunger for connecting said posts.

3. The combination with dished plates 1 and 5, of a diaphragm 2 clamped between said plates, an inlet- 7 to the chamber 6 below the diaphragm, a standard 22 rising from plate 1, an arm 21 extending laterally from said standard, a block 17 of insulating material secured to the under side of said arm, binding-posts ll and 16 supported by said block, a contactblade 13 pivoted to post 11, plates 15 carried by post 16, and a plunger 9 engaging diacontact-blade 13. JONATHAN C. MELOON. Witnesses:

W. H. THURsToN, R. A. BATES. 

